Do you let your toddler dictate the daily household menu? If you
are giving in to unhealthy food requests by your youngster, you may be
setting them up for serious health problems in the future. New research
from the University of Calgary indicates that early childhood diet can
potentially have a lifelong impact on health. Dr. Raylene Reimer,
Faculty of Kinesiology researcher, conducted this enlightening research.
The study provides evidence of a relationship between food intake in
toddlers and weight gain in adulthood. While it may be difficult to
resist the demands of your little tyke, the innocent act of giving him
or her an ice-cream cone may lead to life-threatening conditions in
adulthood.

For the purpose of this study, researchers conducted tests on three
groups of young rats, providing each group with a different diet. One
group was given a high protein diet, the second a high fiber diet, and
the third a control diet. Each of the three groups was fed a high fat
and sugar diet once they reached adulthood. Results revealed that rats
given a high fiber diet put on very little weight and body fat, while
those given high protein produced opposite results. While indicating a
definitive link between poor diet at a young age and corresponding
health risks in adulthood, this study also raises questions concerning
the moral and ethical accountability of parents who make dietary choices
for their children.

Dr. Reimer believes the study ... "clearly shows that the
composition of early childhood diet may have a direct lifelong impact on
genes that control metabolism and obesity risk. This study clearly
indicates that diet composition alone can change the trajectory of
circulating satiety hormones and metabolic pathways that influence how
we gain weight or control blood sugar as adults."